Achtergrond

SAY NO! aims to contribute in a creative fashion to the debate concerning strategies for peace. Participants in the project are choirs and smaller vocal ensembles from all over the world. Together we sing “No to war” and “Yes” to the refusal to collaborate to war and destruction.
Our songs want to honour deserters and all those refusing to participate in war.
Both the live performance and the international project represent a call to “Flee the Frenzy”: say NO to the utter madness of war and weaponry.

SAY NO LIVE

A new composition commissioned by Brussels Brecht-Eislerkoor has been a source of inspiration for over thirty choirs
and ensembles, each of which has recorded a song on desertion and the refusal of war. These sounds and images, in combination
with a number of testimonies, will supply the material for the creation of a video work of art by Jan Vromman.
It will be projected on screen and interact with live music by Dick van der Harst and his ensemble, some ninety
singers from Brussels Brecht-Eislerkoor, Novecanto and Stemmer, and different testimonies by deserters during a live
performance on 22 January 2017.

WALL OF THE DESERTERS

Over 30 choirs and ensembles from all over the world recorded a desertion song in sounds and/or images. All contributors were free to choose their song and the nature of their performance. All submissions will be accessible on the Wall of the deserters as from next January. A unique and at the same time many-faceted voice against war mongering and war rhetorics.

SAY NO! LIVEPERFORMANCE

On Sunday, 22 Januari 2017, Say No! will be presented during a live performance in Kaaitheater, Brussels. Make sure to book your seats at www.kaaitheater.be. This live performance will be recorded in view of its future distribution.

SAY NO! MONUMENT TO THE DESERTER

All the material available will be used by Jan Vromman, in collaboration with Brussels production house Les Mecs, to build a virtual monument to the deserter. This installation, centred on a video (with seating facilities), will be on show at the Brussels community centre De Markten , in April/May 2017. Thereafter, the installation will be available for exhibits and events elsewhere.

WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE SONG?

Say No! is a new composition.
Elvis Peeters, a militant Belgian poet and peace activist, wrote the lyrics of ‘Say No'.
Dick van der Harst, a Dutch-Belgian composer frequently active in the music theatre world, wrote the music to the poem for satb choir.
Jan Vromman has a well-established reputation as a video artist. His work is usually closely related to community issues.
The Brussels Brecht-Eislerkoor took the initiative for the global project in relation to Flee the Frenzy.

WWHY DO WE SAY NO ?

We want to make a powerful protest against the utter madness of war which is causing so much distress and misery in today’s world.
For this purpose, we have chosen to express ourselves through a contemporary song and with voices from everywhere. Songs from many different origins and a colourful repertoire cannot but strengthen our appeal. Testimonies by deserters paint a painful picture of distress and suffering during the two World Wars and today’s conflicts. This universal call for peace and justice is further enhanced by the music of Dick vander Harst and his ensemble.

'Ode to the Deserter' foto's: Jan Lietaert

this project is made possible thanks to the support of Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest / VisitBrussels, De Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie
and the Vlaamse Overheid, Minister voor Brusselse Aangelegenheden.